None.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a baler system for baling of waste or other products, and more particularly, relates to a multi-ram bale and tie baler system having high output and a sequenced method of operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art baling systems, as well as present day baling systems, operate to compress waste material, such as cardboard, rags, light metals and the like. Great force and a lengthy time period are required to compact and compress such waste material into as small a bale or bundle as practicable. Operation of a baler system often processes waste material where the main focus of such baling is myopically concentrated towards the end of effecting a properly compacted bale of waste material by channeling and concentrating great crushing forces but devoting minimal effort towards the end of providing an efficiently operated baler system with respect to time. Such baling incorporates a series of crushing sequences which for the most part under utilize the components of the baler system where most steps are straightforward and simple but are accomplished inefficiently using simple daisy chain like logic such as first creating a bale, then strapping the bale, and finally ejecting the bale.
Clearly what is needed is a method of improving the efficiency of a baler system which improves the throughput, and a baler system constructed in accordance with the principles of the method such as is offered by the present invention, as now described.
The general purpose of the present invention is to provide a multi-ram bale and tie baler system and method of operation. The multi-ram bale and tie baler system includes closely associated multiple bale chambers including primary and secondary bale chambers located in adjacent proximity to each other. A hopper and hopper extension are located above a pre-compress chamber where a powered pre-compress lid provides for initial compressing of waste material when desired. A gatherer ram is actuated to urge pre-compressed, or non-compressed material if applicable, from the pre-compress chamber to the primary bale chamber, which is located adjacent to the pre-compress chamber for initial waste material compressing or compacting. Multiple cyclings of the gatherer ram for waste material compressing or compacting can be and are accomplished throughout the process. The primary bale chamber abuts the secondary bale chamber to which an ejector ram is aligned. The ejector ram is structured to be positioned across one end of the primary bale chamber to act as a positionable and sturdy end of the primary bale chamber. Preferably, pre-compressed waste, or even waste which is not pre-compressed, is further compressed or compacted in the primary bale chamber against the ejector ram for several different cycles and operations of the gatherer ram as required. Further and final compressing or compacting occurs later upon entry of the not yet completed bale into the secondary bale chamber.
The secondary bale chamber abuts the primary bale chamber. The ejector ram can be retracted from a position forming the end of the primary bale chamber to allow access and movement of a partially completed bale to the secondary bale chamber from the primary bale chamber. Such access allows waste material partially baled in early baling steps and additional recently added pre-compressed material in the primary bale chamber to be urged by the gatherer ram into the secondary bale chamber for further and final compressing or compacting.
At the same time initial compressing or compacting occurs in the pre-compress chamber and the primary bale chamber and final compressing or compacting occurs in the secondary bale chamber, simultaneous handling and processing of a previously formed and completed bale is effected by continual incremental urging of the previously formed bale from the secondary bale chamber to a bale exit chamber. Such urging positions the completed compressed or compacted bale along the bale strap chamber to align various portions of the bale with a strapping machine to receive a plurality of straps applied around and about the bale, thus tieing the bale. Thus, continual simultaneous compressing and strapping occur to provide for maximum efficiency and minimum throughput time.
According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a multi-ram bale and tie baler system including a framework and a plurality of components mounted to or within the framework including a hydraulically powered gatherer ram, a pre-compress chamber, a powered rotatable pre-compress lid aligned for positioning above the pre-compress chamber, a hopper aligned to and over the pre-compress chamber, a hopper extension aligned to the top of the hopper, a primary bale chamber aligned to and adjacent to one side of the pre-compress chamber, a secondary bale chamber aligned to the primary bale chamber being capable of communication with the primary bale chamber, an ejector ram which is aligned to and positioned within or which can be distant from the secondary chamber and which can be positioned and aligned across one end of the primary chamber to assist in formation of a primary bale chamber or positioned from alignment with one end of the primary chamber to allow access from the primary bale chamber, a bale exit chamber adjacent to and connected to the secondary bale chamber, a bale door, a strapper for tieing a bale with strapping located at one end of the bale exit chamber, a strapper power unit, and a hydraulic power unit.
One significant aspect and feature of the present invention is a multi-ram bale and tie baler system where a waste bale is formed in conjunction with a pre-compress chamber, a primary bale chamber and a secondary bale chamber, and, simultaneously, where a previously compacted or compressed and formed bale is tied with strapping and urged incrementally from a bale exit chamber of the multi-ram bale and tie baler system.
Yet another significant aspect and feature of the present invention is the use of a pre-compress lid and a pre-compress chamber.
A further significant aspect and feature of the present invention is the use of an ejector ram to form an end of a primary bale chamber against which waste can be compressed or compacted.
A further significant aspect and feature of the present invention is a positionable ejector ram which can be positioned to allow access and entry of a partially compressed or compacted bale from a primary bale chamber to a secondary bale chamber where final waste compressing or compacting can be accomplished.
A still further significant aspect and feature of the present invention is where a final or last unit of pre-compressed waste is added to previously formed units of compressed waste in a secondary bale chamber and compressed therein for formation of a waste bale.
A still further significant aspect and feature of the present invention is the bale compressing or compacting which occurs in more than one bale chamber.
Still another significant aspect and feature of the present invention is sequencing of operation of the components of the multi-ram bale and tie baler system.
Having thus set forth distinguishing traits of the present invention, it is one object of the present invention to provide a multi-ram bale and tie baler system and method of operation.
Other objects of the present invention are now set forth.
Other aspects of the baler system include a sequenced operation for the baling of materials by the multi-ram bale and tie baler system including the steps where:
The ejector ram advances to contact and incrementally urge a previously formed bale along the bale exit chamber to a first position beneath a strapper. The strapper applies a first strap around and about the first portion of a previously formed bale at the first position. The gatherer ram retracts. The pre-compress lid opens allowing waste to enter the pre-compress chamber.
Simultaneously, the pre-compress lid closes sealing the bottom region of the hopper extension and sealing the upper region of the pre-compress chamber to form waste into pre-compressed waste, and the ejector ram advances incrementally to urge a previously formed bale along the bale exit chamber to a second position beneath the strapper. The strapper applies a second strap around and about a second portion of a previously formed bale at a second position.
The gatherer ram advances to urge pre-compressed waste from the pre-compress chamber into the primary bale chamber and against the ejector ram, being part of the primary bale chamber, to form a first unit of compressed waste, thus partially forming a newly formed bale. Waste loads into the hopper extension such as by an external conveyor.
The gatherer ram retracts. The pre-compress lid opens to allow waste in the hopper extension to be deposited in the pre-compress chamber. During gatherer ram retraction and pre-compress lid opening, the ejector ram is advanced incrementally to urge a previously formed bale along the bale exit chamber to a third position beneath the strapper. The strapper applies a third strap around and about a third portion of a previously formed bale at a third position.
Simultaneously, the pre-compress lid closes sealing the bottom region of the hopper extension and sealing the upper region of the pre-compress chamber to form waste into pre-compressed waste, and the ejector ram advances incrementally to urge a previously formed bale along the bale exit chamber to a fourth position beneath the strapper. The strapper applies a fourth strap around and about a fourth portion of a previously formed bale at a fourth position.
The gatherer ram advances to urge pre-compressed waste from the pre-compress chamber into the primary bale chamber against the first unit of compressed waste to form a second unit of compressed waste and to combine with the first unit of compressed waste, thus partially and additionally contributing to the formation of the newly formed bale. Waste loads into the hopper extension such as by an external conveyor.
The gatherer ram retracts. The pre-compress lid opens to allow waste in the hopper extension to be deposited in the pre-compress chamber. During the gatherer ram retraction and pre-compress lid opening, the ejector ram advances incrementally to urge a previously formed bale along the bale exit chamber to a fifth position beneath the strapper. The strapper applies a fifth strap around and about a fifth portion of a previously formed bale at the fifth position.
Simultaneously, the pre-compress lid closes sealing the bottom region of the hopper extension and sealing the upper region of the pre-compress chamber to form waste into pre-compressed waste, and the ejector ram advances incrementally to urge a fully strapped previously formed bale along and beyond the bale exit chamber.
The ejector ram retracts, thus providing communication between the primary bale chamber and the secondary bale chamber. The ejector ram retracts a sufficient distance to allow the ejector ram front plate to form one side of the secondary bale chamber, and the bale door is closed to form another side of the secondary bale chamber. The gatherer ram advances to urge pre-compressed waste from the pre-compress chamber through the primary bale chamber against the second unit of compressed waste.
The gatherer ram urges the first unit of compressed waste, the second unit of compressed waste and the pre-compressed waste into the secondary bale chamber to form a last unit of compressed waste from the pre-compressed waste to combine the pre-compressed waste directly with the second unit of compressed waste as a last unit of compressed waste and indirectly with the first unit of compressed waste, thus fully and additionally contributing to the formation of a completed newly formed bale. The bale door opens. Simultaneously, during the gatherer ram advancement and bale door opening, the pre-compress lid closes sealing the bottom region of the hopper extension and sealing the upper region of the pre-compress chamber. Waste is then loaded into the hopper extension. Repetition of the previously described steps is carried out to form yet another new bale and to eject the bale just completed from the secondary bale chamber.
Sequential operational steps may be reduced or increased depending on the density and the composition of the waste material.